How to Remodel Your Kitchen to Make It the Place to Be

Colder months are the perfect time to take on a remodeling project in your home. You have more free time now that you aren’t doing outside maintenance and most of your activities have moved indoors anyway. Remodeling your kitchen during this time is a great way to get it ready to host your family and friends for the holidays and during football season. These tips will help make sure your remodel is a touchdown instead of a fumble.

Make a Plan

You don’t have to hire a designer for your kitchen remodel if it’s not in your budget, but that doesn’t mean you can just fly by the seat of your pants with no plan and hope for the best. Take the time to draw up your kitchen plans and find designs and inspiration that you like. Know what you want the result to be, and refer to the plan often along the way.

Know What You’re Capable Of

If you have taken on large DIY projects in the past, you may be able to tackle your kitchen renovation with little professional help. Just be realistic. If you have trouble with power tools or wielding a paintbrush, hire someone to help you. If you do hire someone, be sure to explore a contractor’s portfolio before hiring them. You can learn about their style and their capabilities in one easy step.

Consider How You Want to Use the Space

Since you want your kitchen to be the hub of your home and the place that everyone gathers for holidays and sport events, keep that in mind while you’re designing it. Make sure the floor plan gives you enough room to gather with friends and family without feeling crowded. Buy appliances that are energy-efficient, but also have enough cooking and storage space to prepare a big meal for Thanksgiving or multiple dishes for that Super Bowl party you have every year. You are taking on the project, make sure you end up with something that makes life easier and more enjoyable.

Order What You Need Before Starting

You should order all the materials you need before you begin your demolition work. Don’t leave any detail to chance – order the cabinetry, appliances, flooring and all the finishing touches. By ordering before you start the remodel, you won’t have to worry about something you picked out in the planning stage being unavailable when you’re ready for it. This means no costly substitutes and getting exactly what you want for the space.

Make Smart Choices

Think carefully about your complete kitchen and your current one. Do you need new cabinets? Cabinets are one of the most costly parts of a new kitchen, so if yours are in great shape but outdated, you may not have to replace them. You can paint them and add new hardware, and they will look brand new for a fraction of the price.

If this still doesn’t give you a look you want, consider installing new doors on your cabinet instead of replacing the whole unit. You can leave doors off of some for a modern, open shelving look and install new doors on others in the style of your new kitchen.

Stay Out of the Way

During the remodel, if you are hiring help, trust them to do their jobs and get out of the kitchen. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t pay attention to what they are doing and even inspect their work after they leave for the day, but don’t breathe down their necks while they are trying to work. You are paying for their time, so do something else with yours.

Stick to the Plan

It’s easy to walk into a home improvement store and have shiny object syndrome. The glistening sinks, high-tech appliances, and amazing light fixtures may be calling your name, but don’t listen. Stick with your original plan and list, or else you will blow your kitchen renovation budget and end up with items that don’t quite fit into your plans.

Consider the Small Add-Ons

Instead of purchasing drawers and cabinets with no frills, go ahead and spend the little extra money to get the custom dividers, lazy Susans, and pantry pullouts. Anything you can do to increase your kitchen storage and functionality now will be more than worth it in the long run.

Be Careful of Waste

Be sure to consider the materials you’re throwing out. Talk with your contractor about this as well. That leftover marble from your countertop could become a great cutting board. The extra wood you have may work great to create drawer inserts or additional shelving. Be mindful of what you are throwing away and consider how you might reuse it in the space to get the most bang for your buck.

Enjoy the Space

Now that you have a shiny new kitchen, you might be afraid to break it in or get it dirty for fear of messing something up. That means you spent all of this money just to look at your kitchen. How silly! Get in there and use it. Have spaghetti night and don’t panic if a little red sauce splatters. Invite friends and family over to see the space and don’t get paranoid about someone breaking a handle or getting a drawer stuck. Relax, enjoy and have fun.

These tips will help you have a successful remodel that you, your friends and your family can enjoy during football season or anytime. You won’t have to worry about not having what you need to throw that next party ever again.

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Founder, Publisher and CEO of INSCMagazine.
Works have appeared and featured in places such as Forbes, Huffington Post, ESPN and NBC Sports to name a few. Follow me on Twitter at @RobCobb_INSC, email me at robert.cobb@theinscribermag.com

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